Chemical analysis of material composition

Purpose

We can help with chemical analysis and troubleshooting to answer a wide variety of questions such as: Where does the stain come from? What does the deposit consist of? What additives does the material/product contain? What happens during aging?

It is often important to investigate, characterize and identify the chemical composition of a material or sample in order to solve problems or improve a process. There can be problems relating to, for example:

• process problems
• deposits
• defects in products
• complaints and customer questions
• types of additives
• comparison of different products on the market
• investigation of the presence of dangerous and regulated substances
• type of plastic material

With our material investigations, we use a systematic approach to find out the composition of the material, identify substances and provide answers as to where the substances may originate from. The results provide qualitative and quantitative information about components in the sample or material. We use several different techniques, depending on the sample type, for the identification of components in the material. The investigations can often be started immediately, no extensive planning and preparation is needed.

Method

We often use several different methods that combine organic analysis, inorganic analysis and microscopy analysis to characterize the unknown sample.

Examples of techniques:

• Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS)
• Scanning electron microscope (SEM) 
• Scanning Electron Microscopy -Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS)
• Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP)
• Ion chromatography (IC)
• Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
• Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS)
• Size Exclusion Chromatograph (SEC)
• Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
• Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
• Total organic carbon (TOC)

Deliveries

Results are compiled in an analysis report.

More information